New York City is not known for its natural sites. Other than Central Park, there are very few places in which you can look around and see many trees and greenery densely populated in an area. Even Central Park is not natural. The majority of the giant rocks in the park were placed there and the park is not natural. Yet for me, the park represents a sense of life and naturalness.
We spoke yesterday about the naturalness of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens and it seemed as though the class agreed that although beautiful, the gardens were not natural considering much of the flora was not native to the area. Regardless, people go there to be productive and do work amongst the life of the gardens.
While I agree that humans should not be taking untouched land and bringing in alien species like what was done with the gardens. I feel that adding gardens and greenery in cities would have a profound effect on the people there. Many people who live in cities feel pressure to adjust their eco-friendly habits due to news on television of scientific studies. However, I have always felt that the best way to get people to want to conserve is by giving them nature and exposing people to its beauty. While some people have to go to the mountains and lose cell service in order to feel at peace with nature, I appreciate the greenery just miles outside New York City. Whether it be visiting family in New Jersey or friends in Westchester, I always take a moment to breathe in the fresh air when I get out of the car in the suburbs. Small gardens could have this same effect in cities. By giving urban dwellers a glimpse into the beauty of fresh air and flowers, they will be provoked more likely to make the effort to travel to the mountains and see the beauty and possibilities of nature for themselves.
